Baseball shoe cleat



y 21, 1935- J. T. VIRIDDELL I 2,001,976

BASEBALL SHOE CLEAT Filed March 5, 1932 gum Q4 4M144;

Patented May 21, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE r f"2,oo1,9'zs BASEBALL Sm; CLEAT I g John 'rlmdaeunvanston, ni.

Application March 5, 1932, Serial No. 596,947 1 Claim. (01. 36-59) This invention relates toathletic shoe "cleats and particularly cleats adapted for use on the soles ofbaseball shoes.

Itis the purpose of all shoe cleats to provide 5 afmeans for securing afirm grip between the soles of the wearers shoes and'whatever medium the said shoes are adapted to tread upon, the form'of the cleat being particularly adapted for the nature of the service which itis to perform.

In the case of baseball shoes, cleats having broad,

spade-like, depending prongs adapted to' dig firmly into sod or yieldable earth surfaces, have been heretoforeprovided; and many have been formed particularly to provide traction against ordinary sidewise or lateral thrust. However, it has been the experience of players that, when taking off suddenly in an angular direction, the usual cleats do not providethe necessary traction against angular or lateral thrust at the toe, of the shoe to prevent slipping; particularly when the player's weight is applied entirely on one corner of the sole toe portion as when making quick starts, turns or sudden changes in direction of travel. The player, when making quick starts or turns, applies his weight to that part of the sole toe portion nearest the direction in which he desires to move, and it is here that the cleats heretofore provided fail to supply the necessary support.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved form of baseballcleat having depending prongs at the toe portion particularly adapted to support an angular thrust applied on the forward side of the sole nearest the desired 3 direction of travel; to provide a baseball cleat having fiat prongs arranged to support thrust in all directions when the player is running on the entire sole surface as well as when he is running on the toe portion only; to provide a cleat having double toe prongs to support a thrust in either lateral direction; and. to provide a cleat having flat prongs positionedadjacent the tip of the sole and extending backwardly and outwardly. relative to the longitudinal center line of the shoe.

A specific embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a bottom view of a shoe showing the improved cleat applied thereto and the arrangement of the cleat prongs.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the cleat showing the formation of the prongs, a portion of the shoe being shown in dotted outline.

As shown in the drawing, the cleat is formed from a one-piece metal stamping having a body of metal or stock opposite the prongs an ample support for the rivet be located substantially in vvided at the point where the greatest amount of or base of the general outline of the shoe sole to which it is to be applied and cut out in the center to reduce the weight and amount of material used. 1 7

Four broad, spade-like prongs or spikes are 5 provided and are formed by turning or bending integral laterally projecting ears at right angles to the cleat body I, thus providing a simple onepiecestructure having substantial strength and rigidity. 10

The prongs or spikes are spaced about the periphery of thecleat body I in a definite predetermined relationship and opposite each prong the stock of the cleat body is increased to form an inwardly projecting boss 3 in which a hole is punched for the fastening rivets 4. The increase provides and permits a reduction of the stock used to form the frame or body part I. p 1

As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, the prongs are spaced in a definite arrangement so that a firm grip may be had at every point where a traction thrust may be applied to the sole, and the prongs are so disposed that any horizontal thrust will be resisted regardless of the direction in which it is applied. The toe prongs 5 and 6 are positioned relatively near together and in opposed angular relationship so that when the cleat is properly applied to the sole each prong will the center of its respective half of the toe portion of the sole to support any thrust that may be applied to that part of the sole.

The prongs 5 and 6, as shown, are equally spaced on opposite sides of the center line of the shoe and are each positioned to extend backwardly from the toe and outwardly relative to the center line, preferably at an angle of 45 degrees from the center line or at right angles to each other. It is this angular backward and outward disposition of the forward prongs that is the essential characteristic of my invention, and with such an arrangement a broad thrust surface is proforce is naturally applied, the broad surface of the prong being transverse to the line of force or thrust, to resist such thrust and prevent slipp1ng The rear or back prongs l and 8 have essen- 50 tially the same disposition or arrangement that is used on the usual baseball cleats heretofore provided. The prong 1 is positioned so as to be substantially under the main joint of the wearers small toe and is the most rearward of the 55 prongs, being adjacent the outer edge of the shoe sole. The prong 8 is positioned substantially under the ball of the wearers foot adjacent the inner edge of the shoe sole and is disposed to resist any lateral thrust applied through the ball of the foot. Each of .the'prongs 1 and 8 are set at an angle relative to the center line of the shoe in' order to receive thrust from all angles at which it might naturally be applied. However, these prongs. are disposedto extend backwardly and inwardly relative to: the center line in opposed relationship to the forward prongs 5 and 6.

As shown in Fig. 2 each of the prongs is provided with a tapered, chisel edge 9 which permits the prongs to take a substantialbi te upon the ground or sod should the same be extra firm or hard and thereby allows the prongs to render their full eifect for resisting thrust under alt conditions of use.

In practice when a player desires to suddenly ehangehis-direction of. travel, or make a sudden start, he applies substantially his entire weight and the thrust of his foot to that side of the toe portion of the sole nearest the directionin which he; desires to move.- Thus, with the forward or dye prongs arranged. according to my invention, the broad surfaceof the prong will lie transversely tjo the d'irection of thrust and provide the necessary support. "his is apparent from Fig. 1v of thhe drawing which shows the bottom of a left" s oe.

the player wearer desires" to suddenly start or move to the right, his weight and thrust will naturally be applied to the right half of the sole toe portion in the center of which the prong 6 is positioned. The natural direction at which the force or thrust will be applied is substantially at an angle of 45 degrees from the center line of the shoe and in a backward direction from the toe. Thus the cleat 6, disposed as shown and described, will receive the thrust directly upon its broad surface and entirely obviate the danger of slippingt Although but one specific embodiment of this invention is herein shown and described, it is .to be understood that details of the construction shownmay be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claim.

, Lelaim:

A baseball cleat comprising a unitary ring-like body part having four spaced flat prongs integral thereon and extending at right angles therefrom, two of such prongs being disposed along the margin of the forward end of said body part in opposed angular relationsh-ip; one on each side of the center line of said body part, the plane oii each of said prongs respectively extending backward-1y and outwardly relative to the said center line; and two of such prongs being disposed one on each side of said center line along the margin ot the rearward endof said body part with their planes converging rearwardly.

. J QHN 'P'. RI'DDELL. 

